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“Sheikh,” she said quietly. She looked at the ground. Janet’s mother crossed her eyebrows and looked at Janet and then at the sheikh.
“We need to talk,” he said. Janet nodded in response. They needed to talk indeed. The sheikh turned around and started walking. Janet followed the sheikh out and down the hall. He headed to the patio and slid the glass doors open. When Janet joined him outside, he slid the doors shut.
“Um...” Janet didn’t know what to say.
“After what you told me, I thought that your mother and sister wouldn’t be safe from the cartel,” said the sheikh. Janet looked up.
“How did you find them?” she asked. She had never told him exactly where they were living.
“I have my ways,” he said.
“I will find a place for them to stay.” Janet wasn’t sure why the sheikh had brought her family over and didn’t know how to ask him.
“No,” Basil shook his head. He leaned against a wooden pillar with his hands in his pockets and his gaze fixed on Janet. “There are plenty of guest rooms in this house; they can stay here. It’s safer,” he said.
“Oh no, we can’t trouble you like this.”
“You’re not; it was my choice. I’m sorry I made it without talking to you first, but I just worried about their safety.”
“Why are you worried about their safety? After what I did…”
“You did nothing wrong,” the sheikh cut her off.
“If I hadn’t bought that truck,” Janet paused to fight back the tears. She didn’t want to start crying in front of him again.
“Then Pablo would have bought a truck anyway and probably would have harmed you.”
“I could have tried to stop him or something.”
Basil raised an eyebrow. “Janet,” he said. Hearing her name on his lips brought happiness and sadness to her heart. She liked it when he called her name, but she didn’t deserve it.
“You know how the cartel works. When the boss tells you to jump, you jump. There’s nothing you could have done to stop him,” said the sheikh.
Janet knew he was right, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty. She ran her hand through her curly hair.
“Damnit,” she cursed under her breath as the tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’m really sorry. What can I do to make up for it? Tell me, and I’ll do it,” she said to the sheikh.
The sheikh sighed before he closed the distance between them. He put his hand to her face and wiped her cheek with his thumb. “How did you work for the cartel when you’re this sensitive?” he asked.
“I’m sorry.” More tears flowed down her cheeks. The sheikh pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. Janet was shocked by the sheikh suddenly hugging her, but she couldn’t push him away, she didn’t want to. She rested against his chest and cried for a little bit. The sheikh gently stroked her back and held her tighter.
Janet wrapped her arms around the sheikh and just hugged him back. She felt comfortable and safe in his arms. He smelled and felt good. She felt like pulling him back into her arms when he pulled out of her embrace. He cupped her chin and tilted her head up.
“It’s not your fault,” he said to her. Janet searched his eyes. She didn’t understand why he was so nice to her. He caressed her face with his thumb and traced her jawline. Janet wasn’t sure what to do or say. She felt butterflies in her stomach. She thought of running away, but he had his hands on her face.
“Sheikh,” she said quietly.
“Basil,” he said.
“Huh?”
“Call me Basil.”
Janet raised her eyebrows. He wanted her to call him by his name. She had wanted to call him by his name for a while, she didn’t like calling him sheikh. It was so formal.
Basil leaned closer to Janet until their faces were inches away from each other. Janet was surprised by his sudden movement. She felt even more nervous; her breathing became uneven. Basil placed his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. He pressed his lips against hers and slowly kissed her. Janet froze in place for a moment.
She relaxed and allowed herself to kiss him. She placed her hands on his large biceps and kissed him back. For a moment, it wasn’t the sheikh and the nanny; it was just Basil and Janet. For a moment, she just wanted to enjoy kissing him and be in his arms.
